Counting Cents

Inspiration

We believe that equality and empowerment can arise from something seemingly as simple as coins. Sometimes, counting a large amount of coins can be tedious and difficult for those who have vision impairments or access to a coin counting machine in stores. We wanted to create accessibility in the financial realm by providing users with the ability to calculate a large amount of coins- which is not a easy task for some- with just a click so that they don't have to turn to coin counting machines that often take a monetary portion. With this app, we wanted to meet the intersectionality of diversity by encompassing a variety of groups from the elderly to those with disabilities.

What it does

Our app calculates the total value of the coins that it takes a picture of and will relay the total back to you out loud.

How we built it

We utilized TensorFlow, an open-source machine learning framework, and Python. In addition, Android Studio was utilized in order to create the app in which we implemented the algorithm.

Challenges we ran into

Figuring out how to implement TensorFlow and the machine learning was the most difficult part. We had to study the API meticulously in order to understand how it works and how we can work around the API to benefit our application. And we ran into some difficulty with Android Studio because none of us had worked with it before.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud to have dipped our toes into the unknown and to have adapted to these experiences in order to create an app. Although it was a struggle, we are most proud of the things we've learned to implement and design. For example, using the TensorFlow API to use machine learning to count coins and designing a functional app in Android Studio.

What we learned

We are all beginners of the Android Studio platforms. None of us had experience with Android studios, so this was the biggest challenge. Trying to create an app from scratch was truly a unique experience in this short 24 hour period. On top of that, we had to learn how to work around the TensorFlow and a bit of machine learning while making the app through teamwork. This was an arduous, yet enlightening experience as we came to understand the development process of creating apps.

What's next for Counting Cents

We are hoping to make this a fully functional app for iPhone users as well.